Jewish News - March 20, 2023

Dear Friends,

Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) celebrates freedom as we recall the Exodus from Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.

Family and friends at a seder, springtime, renewal, and freedom are just a few of the images that come to mind when we think about this most celebrated festival on the Jewish calendar.

For us at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, we also think about making certain our community can safely observe the holiday through our commitment to the Secure Community Network (SCN); that we are able to assist the courageous people of Ukraine through our donations and our work with the American-Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA); that we are able to assist those in need in Israel; as well as all of the local Jewish organizations, schools, and congregations that work daily to ultimately assure that spring and Passover offer feelings of hope and renewal.

As we look forward to celebrating Israel’s 75th birthday, it is important to remember that UJFT funds social service and humanitarian programs in Israel…that our funding does not intersect with Israel’s politics. Funds raised through our UJFT annual community campaign go directly to communities such as Sderot, Kiryat Yam and Pardes Hanna, Israel, where children, teens and families, often at-risk or victims of trauma, receive mental health services, meals, socialization, participate in

after-school programs in a safe environment, and so much more.

Next month, at the Sandler Family Campus, we will host a Community Celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s 75th birthday. It promises to be a not-to-be-missed community event. If you joined us last year, you saw a true community celebration of more than 2,000 strong. I hope to see you on Sunday afternoon, April 30 where there will be something for all ages to enjoy.

It is the strength of our community, its determination, its perseverance, its generosity, its inclusiveness, and its diversity that inspire me to continue the work I do every day, along with my colleagues.

All of us at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater wish you and your families a happy, peaceful, and joyful Passover season. Chag Passover Samaech!

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Upcoming Deadlines for Editorial and Advertising

Issue Deadline

April 3 Israel at 75 March 17

April 24 Mom/Women/Camp April 7

May 8 Summer at Home April 21

May 22 Dad/Mens May 5

June 12 Grads May 26

June 26 Health Care June 9

July 17 Seniors June 30

CONTENTS CANDLE LIGHTING QUOTABLE

Friday, March 24/2 Nissan Light candles at 7:01 pm

Friday, March 31/9 Nissan Light candles at 7:08 pm

Friday, April 7/16 Nissan Light candles at 7:14 pm

Friday, April 7/16 Nissan Light candles at 7:21 pm

Friday, April 21/30 Nissan Light candles at 7:27 pm

—page 5

Friday, April 28/7 Iyar Light candles at 7:33 pm

“In a world that grows more dangerous by the day, weakening our allies would have disastrous consequences for the security of her (Israel) country and threaten the possibility of world peace.”

Betty Ann Levin.

BRIEFS

FRANKFURT CANCELS ROGER WATERS CONCERT, CALLING HIM ‘ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST WELL KNOWN ANTISEMITES’

Roger Waters, the Pink Floyd bassist who is a leading proponent of the movement to boycott Israel, has been blocked from performing in Frankfurt after the city called him “one of the world’s most well known antisemites.”

Waters had been scheduled to perform May 28 at Frankfurt’s Festhalle, which during the Holocaust was the site of the deportation of 3,000 Jews to their deaths just after Kristallnacht.

The city of Frankfurt noted the historical significance of the concert hall, which it partly owns, in announcing that it was canceling Waters’ planned concert. It cited Waters’ longstanding anti-Israel activism.

“The background to the cancellation is the persistent anti-Israel behavior of the former Pink Floyd frontman, who is considered one of the most widely spread antisemites in the world,” the city said in a statement. “He repeatedly called for a cultural boycott of Israel and drew comparisons to the apartheid regime in South Africa and put pressure on artists to cancel events in Israel.”

Waters’ full-throated anti-Israel activism has frequently been accused of veering into antisemitism. In addition to backing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, Waters’ has flown a pig-shaped balloon bearing a Star of David at his concerts, spoken about the alleged power of a nefarious Jewish lobby in the United States and compared Israeli actions in the West Bank to South Africa under apartheid and Nazi Germany. When a British lawmaker was expelled from the Labour Party during its antisemitism scandal, Waters tweeted, “Wish I was a Labour party member so I could be expelled in solidarity.”

Jewish groups in Germany responded positively to the announcement of the canceled concert. “Antisemitism in art and culture must not be tolerated,” said Josef Schuster, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. “I applaud this decision.”

Waters’ tour includes dozens of other

dates across Europe, including several within Germany. (JTA)

COCAINE BEAR STAR ALDEN EHRENREICH GOT HIS BIG BREAK AFTER STEVEN SPIELBERG SAW HIM AT A BAT MITZVAH

By this point, the film’s title might only be unknown to those who have been hibernating: Cocaine Bear, a black comedy very loosely based on a true story from 1985, is the talk of the town in Hollywood and beyond.

One of the movie’s stars, Alden Ehrenreich, got his big break in the industry under less bizarre but still noteworthy circumstances: Steven Spielberg discovered him at a friend’s bat mitzvah.

Ehrenreich, now 33, made a scrappy home movie that he and other friends showed at the bat mitzvah ceremony in 2009. Spielberg was in attendance at the Los Angeles synagogue and afterwards invited Ehrenreich, who is Jewish, to meet with fellow directing legend Francis Ford Coppola. Ehrenreich then got his first acting credit in a Coppola drama called Tetro

Ehrenreich, who grew up attending a Reconstructionist synagogue, has since appeared in several other films, including the Coen brothers’ Hail Caesar and Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. He reportedly beat out several other Jewish actors, including Logan Lerman and Dave Franco, to win the part of young Han Solo in the Star Wars spinoff blockbuster Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2018

He is also set to play a part in Oppenheimer, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film on the drama behind the creation of the atomic bomb—a story featuring several Jewish characters, J. Robert Oppenheimer included.

The true story behind Cocaine Bear involves a 175-pound bag of cocaine that fell out of an airplane over Georgia. A black bear got into the bag and overdosed on the contents.

“Hopefully the film lives up to the title,” says director Elizabeth Banks, a movie star in her own right who is married to Jewish sportswriter Max Handelman. (JTA)

HOLOCAUST NOVEL BY JODI PICOULT REMOVED AS FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT PURGES LIBRARIES

A Holocaust-themed novel by bestselling author Jodi Picoult was among dozens of books removed from a South Florida school district library’s circulation last month, in the latest example of books with Jewish themes getting swept up amid a larger conservative-led effort to police potentially inappropriate material in classrooms.

The Storyteller was removed from the library at a high school in Martin County, a southeast Florida district, owing to a parental complaint. According to a list of removed books published by local media, the novel was among several others by Picoult that were taken off the shelves. Other removed books by Jewish authors include the coming-of-age novel Forever, by Judy Blume, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer, which is about a boy whose father was killed on 9/11.

Nationwide, book removal campaigns have sought to purge schools and public libraries of what opponents have deemed “critical race theory,” “pornography” and “gender ideology.” Notable instances of Holocaust-themed books getting ensnared in such efforts include Art Spiegelman’s Maus being removed from a Tennessee middle school curriculum; a graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank’s diary being briefly removed from a Texas district; and several young-reader histories about the Holocaust also being briefly removed from a Missouri district.  Florida has required additional scrutiny of the books that are available to schoolchildren. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has denied that the state is banning books, activists say his “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” encourage parents and educators to take license in purging schools of material that could carry a hint of impropriety. Some districts have covered or removed their classroom libraries entirely to comply with the law, while other Florida districts have removed picture books that trigger concern, including one about Shabbat that was part of a diversity package and

another about a Jewish family with two dads.

Blume’s and Foer’s books have been frequent targets of other school bans and removals, as have many other books on Martin County’s list—including Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. But Picoult, who grew up in a secular Jewish household, told the Washington Post that this was the first time, to her knowledge, that The Storyteller has been targeted. She said the removal was “shocking, as it is about the Holocaust.”

In an opinion piece for The Daily Beast following the initial publication of this article, Picoult elaborated, writing, “There was a strange irony that a parent wanted this particular book removed, because it felt a bit like history repeating itself.” The author is co-writing a new musical based on Markus Zusak’s young-adult novel The Book Thief, which is also set in Nazi Germany, and said she had been “watching a book burning” as part of the British production’s rehearsals when she heard the news about the latest round of her book bans.

First published in 2013, The Storyteller follows the Jewish granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor who learns that her neighbor is a former Nazi officer who served in concentration camps. Her neighbor also asks her to help him commit suicide.

The Post reported that most of the Florida district’s book complaints originated from one parent: the head of the local chapter of the conservative group Moms For Liberty.

“At this point, we believe we have challenged the most obscene and age inappropriate books,” the parent, Julie Marshall, told the Post Marshall did not respond to a request for comment on why she sought to remove The Storyteller, but she told the school board that the vast majority of her challenges were based on what she deemed sexually explicit content. The book contains several sexually graphic scenes, including depictions of sexual assault by Nazi guards. (JTA)

NATIONAL Congresswoman Jen Kiggans supports Israel in floor speech

In her third floor speech since becoming a Congresswoman representing Virginia’s Second District, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans spoke about the importance of supporting Israel. The speech took place on Friday, March 10. The speech follows:

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Our relationship with Israel is a mutually beneficial partnership that not only reinforces America’s moral values and strategic interests, but also promotes peace and stability. The U.S.Israel relationship is truly the embodiment of “peace through strength.”

Having served 10 years in the U.S. military, I know how volatile this region is and understand that a key element of our own national security is the strength and security of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East.

Our two nations face many of the same

terrorist threats, the only difference being that Israel is surrounded by hostile regional actors. As malicious regimes like Iran continue their quest for nuclear capabilities, it is imperative that America does not waiver in our commitment to strengthen Israel’s ability to defend itself.

In a world that grows more dangerous by the day, weakening our allies would have disastrous consequences for the security of her country and threaten the possibility of world peace.

I remain steadfast in my support for Israel and look forward to helping advance U.S.-Israel defense cooperation here in Congress.

Thank you, I yield back.

FBI: Anti-Jewish incidents jumped nearly 20% in 2021

Ben Sales

(JTA)—A new FBI report found that anti-Jewish incidents increased nearly 20% in 2021 relative to 2020, but decreased relative to prior years.

The updated FBI statistics released Monday, March 13 counted 817 anti-Jewish criminal offenses reported by local law enforcement agencies in 2021, up from 683 in 2020—a year when people largely stayed off the streets for a substantial period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 numbers, however, represent a 15% decline from 2019, when the FBI reported 963 hate crimes, as well as a slight decline from 2018, when FBI statistics show 847 hate crimes.

Overall, the report showed a total of more than 10,800 total hate crimes— the highest number in decades. As in previous years, anti-Jewish incidents comprised the majority of the 1,590 hate crimes based on religion.

This is the second report the FBI has

released regarding hate crimes in 2021. An initial report in December did not include data from major cities such as New York and Los Angeles. Other tallies of antisemitic incidents—such as the Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit—had shown an increase.

The two reports on 2021 demonstrate the pitfalls of the FBI data, which relies on reports of from local law enforcement agencies. An increasing number of cities are declining to share data.

The updated data still has gaps. Data reported from Chicago, for example, represents only two quarters of 2021. The ADL called on Congress to mandate that state and local law enforcement agencies report hate crime data to the FBI in order to receive federal funding.

“Absent comprehensive and inclusive data, policymakers will lack the critical information that is needed to address these concerning trends,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.

Jen Kiggans.

Forever Helping Others

Virginia General Assembly wraps 2023 session

Joel Bond

Throughout the 2023 legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly, state delegates and senators discussed issues that are important to the statewide Jewish community.

Two of those pieces of legislation, the statewide adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism and designating the month of May in 2023 and in each succeeding year as Jewish American Heritage Month, passed through the Virginia House and Senate. Both of the bills are expected to be signed into law by the governor.

Organized in part by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of

the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, the chorus of voices sharing the significance and value of the IHRA definition for use throughout the Commonwealth was essential to the passage of this legislation. Delegates and senators, as well as Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares, engaged in the

discussion and found consensus. This process highlighted the alarming rise in antisemitism and provided an opportunity to educate on the many forms that antisemitism can take.

These positive steps were the result of UJFT’s JCRC’s partnership with the United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.

To join in the effort to combat antisemitism or learn more about the work of the JCRC, contact Joel Bond, JCRC director, at jbond@ujft.org or 757-965-6129.

U. S. Jewish federations delegation lobbies in Israel against Netanyahu’s planned judiciary overhaul

.Ron Kampeas

(JTA)—A delegation of U.S. Jewish federation leaders lobbied in Israel this month against the government’s planned overhaul of the judiciary, a rare step that underscores the degree to which the proposed changes have rattled the U.S. Jewish establishment.

The delegation visited Israel for 24 hours, and included representatives of more than 30 U.S. Jewish communities. The delegation met with lawmakers from the governing coalition as well as the parliamentary opposition. Their main focus was on a proposal that would allow a simple majority of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, to override Supreme Court rulings.

A statement from the Jewish Federations of North America, which organized the trip, singled out “the threats this proposal could have on Israel’s checks and balances and in safeguarding minority rights.” The delegation, the statement said, “also voiced concerns over the implications that this reform may have on

government support for Israel in North America.”

Israel’s Supreme Court has acted as a bulwark safeguarding the rights of vulnerable populations including women, LGBTQ Israelis, and Arab Israelis. The proposal to sap the courts of much of their power and independence has drawn sharp criticism from a range of establishment American Jewish organizations and public figures with reputations as defenders of Israel, as well as Democrats in the United States, including President Joe Biden. Protests against the proposed changes have, for months, brought hundreds of thousands of people to the streets across Israel.

Defenders of the proposed changes say the courts have been afforded the unwarranted power to overturn laws passed by the Knesset, and that the reform will allow the country’s government to better reflect the will of Israel’s right-wing majority.

The trip is notable because the federation system—whose local branches aim to act as representatives of their local Jewish

communities—has historically avoided criticism of Israeli government actions. Last month, the federations’ umbrella organization took the extraordinary step of writing to Israeli political leaders to oppose the override legislation and to urge compromise.

A federation official speaking on background said one concern is that the organized Jewish community in the United States is at the forefront of defending rights for LGBTQ people, ethnic and religious minorities and women. Critics say the proposed reforms threaten to erode those rights in Israel.

The delegation comprised representatives from the federations’ national leadership as well as from large and small communities. Metropolitan areas and states that were represented include New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Colorado, Cleveland, San Francisco, Rochester, New York, Chicago, Boston, Detroit, Hartford, Connecticut, Nashville, Madison, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis.

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Chaim Topol, Israeli actor who played Tevye in 1971 Fiddler on the Roof film

Philissa Cramer

(JTA)—Chaim Topol won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of an immigrant to Israel, stepped off the stage in London to fight for his country, and had his sketches of Israeli presidents turned into postage stamps.

But the actor was, by far, best known for his embodiment of Tevye the Dairyman in Fiddler on the Roof, first in the Israeli and London stages and then in the 1971 movie that brought the musical about poor shtetl Jews to the masses.

Topol died Thursday, March 9 in Tel Aviv at 87, a day after his family announced that he was near death. He had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for some time.

Born in 1935 in Tel Aviv, Topol served

in the Israel Defense Forces entertainment unit before embarking on a career on stage and screen that took him around the world. In 1967, he appeared as the lead character in London’s staging of Fiddler on the Roof, which had been a breakout hit on Broadway three years before. In his early 30s at the time, he wowed audiences and critics with his portrayal of an older character.

But it was when he turned his character over to an understudy that his profile truly exploded. It was June 1967 and Israel was locked in a war with several Arab states; Topol was called up as a soldier and returned to Israel to serve in what would ultimately be known as the Six-Day War. Israel’s swift defeat of an alliance of enemies caused the world to

notice the young country and the actor who took part in its victory.

“He had left London as a star; he returned as a hero,” Alisa Solomon wrote in her 2013 book Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof. “Fiddler became a site for celebration, drawing Jews as well as gentiles to the theater—some for repeat viewings— to bask in Jewish perseverance and to pay homage to Jewish survival. The show didn’t change, but the atmosphere around it did.”

character in the 1964 film Sallah Shabati, about the difficulties faced by a Mizrahi immigrant family. The Ephraim Kishon film was Israel’s first Academy Award nominee in the foreign language film category and earned Topol a Golden Globe for best new actor. The casting of an Ashkenazi actor as a Mizrahi character—and one who embodied many of the stereotypes held at the time by Israel’s Ashkenazi elite—would prove controversial, although the film is still regarded as a touchstone.

Topol won Israel’s most prestigious award, the Israel Prize, for his lifetime of achievement in 2013.

In one sign of Topol’s breakout moment, his recording of If I Were a Rich Man hit No. 9 on the British charts— besting Aretha Franklin’s Respect in July 1967.

From there, Topol was cast in the film production of the musical, beating out Zero Mostel—who put an indelible stamp on Tevye as the star of the original Broadway production—as well as a host of Jewish and non-Jewish movie stars. Using only his last name — purportedly because his first name was easily mispronounced by non-Hebrew speakers—he ultimately starred in more than 30 films in both English and Hebrew, published two books and released multiple albums.

In Israel, Topol was perhaps best known for his breakout role as the lead

“From Fiddler on the Roof to the roof of the world, Haim [sic] Topol, who has passed away from us, was one of the most outstanding Israeli stage artists, a gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence and above all entered deep into our hearts,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Twitter.

Herzog noted Topol’s contributions to Israel not just through the arts but through his service in the army and his dedication to a nonprofit camp for children with medical needs in Israel’s north. Topol was board chair of the Jordan Youth Village, modeled after Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camp in the United States, until his death.

He is survived by his wife Galia, an actor whom he married in 1956; three children and their children.

Chaim Topolas as Tevye.

“He had left London as a star; he returned as a hero.”

Andrew S. Nusbaum to receive Humanitarian Award

Thursday, March 30, 6:30 pm, Westin Virginia Beach Town Center

Center for Inclusive Communities’ 2023 honorees for the 59th Annual Humanitarian Award include Andrew S. Nusbaum. Humanitarian Awards are presented to individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the promotion of respect and understanding among people of diverse backgrounds.

Virginia

service that had long been a hallmark of S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co.

The awards presentation and reception will take place at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, with Pamela Norton chairing the event.

In addition to his real estate development and acquisition role, Nusbaum spearheads SLN CARES, a community outreach program that connects employees with needs in the community. This program allows on the clock time to learn about and volunteer with various organizations that are meeting vital needs, such as the FoodBank, ForKids, American Red Cross, and others.

Nusbaum’s love for connecting people and cultures lead him to take small groups of individuals to India and Peru. As tour guide, he connected those groups with the people and communities he had experienced and grown to love; relationships that have continued far beyond the initial trip.

Nusbaum is a member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America. He recently attended a global study mission in Georgia and Russia. Nusbaum has previously served as a board member with Norfolk NATO, Norfolk Sister Cities, Old Dominion University College of Health Sciences, Norfolk Public Library, and the Still Hope Foundation.

Nusbaum is currently on the sponsor committee of the World Cultural Festival and serves on the board of directors of the Strelitz International Academy, Tidewater Jewish Foundation, and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater/Simon Family Jewish Community Center, where he also coaches youth basketball.

Nusbaum is a graduate of Norfolk Academy and University of Virginia and

is a member of

To make a reservation, go to inclusiveva.org.

The Distinguished Virginian Award will be presented to Janice Bell Underwood. In addition to Nusbaum, Humanitarian Awards will be presented to Lisa F. Chandler, Hugh R. Copeland, Mekbib Gemeda, and Geoffrey V. Guns.

In addition to honoring outstanding community members, the Humanitarian Awards also serves as a platform and showcase for the mission and programs of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

Nusbaum is a Hampton Roads native with a passion for connecting people from all walks of life and cultures to learn from one another and grow both individually and as an enriched community.

After living and working overseas with Operation Smile for a time, Nusbaum returned to Norfolk, to the company his great-great grandfather founded in 1906, and brought with him that passion to continue the legacy of community

Ohef Sholom Temple.

Andrew S. Nusbaum.

The Humanitarian Awards serves as a platform and showcase for the mission and programs of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

Not in God’s name

Craig Schranz

Therecent terrorist murder in Israel of two Jewish boys from Har Bracha in the Arab village of Huwara fills the Jewish world with sadness. Yet, it is the extrajudicial response by religious settlers to the killings which resulted in widespread civilian destruction in Huwara that has made news across the globe. It is the ultimate “man bites dog” headline. Because it is so out of character for our people to be the subject, rather than the object of a riot, it is front page news. Throughout our history, the cost of spilling Jewish blood has come cheap. For centuries, without a land, an army, or political rights, our people have endured suffering and have lacked the power to respond.

Now we live in a different time. Israel, while still vulnerable, is a regional economic and military power. However, this government has demonstrated the pitfalls of political power in a modern Jewish state that is neither fully secular nor defined as a theocracy.

United States we often call “bringing home the bacon” to constituents is a key element of representative democracies. That’s how coalitions are formed, and the work of government gets done. But there are moral dilemmas when a government couples religious ideology with the coercive power of the state to influence policy that impacts the individual rights or the physical well-being of all inhabitants within its borders.

For the first time in Israel’s history, the ruling coalition is made up of self-identified “religious” parties. I use that descriptive hesitatingly as there is much risk in identifying religiosity on externalities, but we will make do with it for now. It was much easier for religious parties to be part of ruling governments when their focus is on the best interests economically for their party supporters. Pardon the expression, but what in the

Let us put aside the fight over an independent judiciary in Israel and focus on the State’s role in maintaining security in Judea and Samaria. The inclusion of far-right parties to the ruling coalition has brought a much more hawkish attitude toward security and settlement expansion in the territories that is coupled with a religious ideology. This has provided cover for a fringe element of the settler movement to act out with an incident of retributive violence at unprecedented scale in the burning of Huwara with the Israeli military either unwilling or incapable of protecting the lives and property of its Arab inhabitants. A robust condemnation of these acts and swift criminal prosecution has been lacking, which increases the likelihood of similar episodes in the future and further loss of life on both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Arturo Sandoval

Desiree Roots

Craig Schranz.

“Justice must be detached, impartial, and applied equally to all. Love plays no part in it…Love on the other hand is utterly particular.”

OPINION

A well-publicized photo of Jewish rioters participating in the evening Maariv prayer among the burning wreckage of Huwara brought an overt religious component to this unfortunate event which requires further reflection. It is times like these when the moral clarity of the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks is so sorely missed. Fortunately, his 2015 book, Not in God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence, provides a perspective of what he might have shared if he was still with us.

Rabbi Sacks discusses the ancient religious tendency toward dualism as reflected by the Essenes of dead sea scroll fame who awaited the end of days between the “children of light” and the “children of darkness.” This concept has origins in ancient religions like Zoroastrianism and pagan faiths but is foreign to classic Jewish thought or other monotheistic religions. Yet dualism has a tendency to reappear under extreme circumstances and when widely adopted can lead to historic tragedy. The Crusades, Rwanda, and the Balkans are just a few of countless examples.

When dualism becomes pathologic it contains three elements. Firstly, it delegitimizes your enemies which destroys any sense of empathy. Second, it causes you to identify as the victim and deflect any moral responsibility. Finally, it provides the justification for you to commit altruistic evil. Good people can become convinced to take evil action. As Rabbi Sacks states, “killing in the name of the God of life, hating in the name of the God of love and practicing cruelty in the name of the God of compassion.”

As Jews we have been the object of religious violence throughout the ages. We have a religious tradition that promotes both the “universality of justice” and the “particularity of love.” As Rabbi Sacks discusses, “Justice must be detached, impartial, and applied equally to all. Love plays no part in it…Love on the other hand is utterly particular.” While we all may love children, who among us does not love our own children more than those not our own?

This month we celebrate(d) with Purim, the invisible hand of God in

our victory over Haman the Amalekite and his minions. It was a time when we lacked political power and were beholden to the whims of a Persian king’s decrees. Now that we have the political power to control our ancient homeland, we must redouble our efforts to make sure that the love of our fellow Jew does not come at the expense of our universal mission of a just world.

It is not surprising that every time the Jewish people individually or collectively fall short of expectations, it is news. There is a double standard, and

I am ok with that. As representatives of our faith, our standard should be higher if we expect to remain “a light among the nations.” We don’t need the United Nations to point out our failings. We must call out our own failures and demand leaders who do the same. We must acknowledge without any caveat that what happened in Huwara was against our religious tradition and ethically wrong.

Our people have suffered acts of unspeakable evil throughout our history and through the present day. Am Yisrael aches as one with the loss of each Jewish soul. Yet, we can never allow this pain to be the justification for religious violence that conflicts with our spiritual mission as a people and desecrates God’s holy name.

This article originally appeared in The Times of Israel on March 6.

Craig Schranz is an emergency medicine physician who lives in Norfolk, Virginia and is the host of The Growing Jew podcast.

“It is not surprising that every time the Jewish people individually or collectively fall short of expectations, it is news.”

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Aviva Pembroke: Project and campaign update

Amy Weinstein

Anyonewho has traveled by the Pembroke Square area in the last few weeks might have seen exciting developments taking place on the corner by Target. Aviva Pembroke, the premier senior community that is being created in partnership by Beth Sholom Village and Pembroke Square Associates, is coming out of the ground.

The official groundbreaking event took place on a cold and sunny day,

and it was a wonderful milestone for all involved. On Friday, Dec. 9 more than 200 community members gathered in the future site of Aviva Pembroke for a ceremony and ceremonial groundbreaking. With over a dozen local, state, and federal elected officials in attendance, the event marked a very proud moment for Beth Sholom Village leadership and staff.

Mayor Bobby Dyer of Virginia Beach noted that Aviva Pembroke is coming at a time when it is desperately needed. “By 2030, predictions are that 20% of the

Rendering of the rooftop terrace with bar, putting greens, bocci ball courts and more.

Shovel ceremony participants: Lawrence Steingold, Jay Kossman, Larry Siegel, David Abraham, Mayor Bobby Dyer, Fred Napolitano, Vincent Olivieri, Michael Olivieri, and Ramsay Smith.

JEWISH TIDEWATER

population of Virginia will be 65 or over,” he said. Dyer also spoke about his positive experiences at Beth Sholom Village when he worked as a physical therapist, stating that he is so glad that the BSV standards for excellence will be carried into Aviva Pembroke.

Fred Napolitano, founder and chairman of Pembroke Square Associates, gave a wonderful history of the property, sharing how the owners have always been innovative. When Pembroke Mall opened in 1966, it was the first enclosed shopping mall in the region and only the 16th in the nation. Napolitano said they never could have imagined then, the plans for the property now.

It was clear why Beth Sholom Village and Pembroke Square Associates are ideal partners in creating this new project, as both organizations have high standards for quality of service, believe in giving back to the community, and are reimagining the best way to serve the community.

Since the groundbreaking event, much has happened at the future site, and within the marketing of the Aviva Pembroke community. As of this writing, nearly 45% of available apartments (inclusive of assisted living and memory enhancement units) are spoken for—all with fully refundable deposits. Since the groundbreaking and more public mentions of the plans, BSV has received

phone calls from Hampton Roads natives and out-of-towners looking to retire closer to their children. Future residents of Aviva Pembroke have started a bi-monthly book club, are welcomed to join a private group on social media, and will soon enjoy more events with the warmer weather.

The Growing Our Future Capital Campaign for Aviva Pembroke is also well under way, with funds raised totaling $2.1 million— 84% of the $2.5 million goal. Campaign co-chairs Jay Kossman and Lawrence Steingold continue to work closely with BSV staff to complete the campaign, looking to community supporters to assist in making this dream a reality. Final events for the Campaign are expected to happen this spring, with anticipated announcement about finishing strong before the end of the fiscal year.

With concrete poured, walls beginning to go up, and new progress daily, the excitement for the project is steadily growing. The teams at Beth Sholom Village and Pembroke Square Associates are working with S.B. Ballard as general contractor, Kahler Slater as architect, and Kimley Horn as engineers.

Visit avivapembroke.com for more information on amenities and apartments, as well as project and campaign updates.

Aerial view of the site of the future Aviva Pembroke, February 2023.

Israel @ 75

TJF reflects on the past year and the future

Naomi Limor Sedek

It’stime to gather family and friends for Pesach and join in a moment of reflection…to take stock of values and hold fast to what’s most important in the coming days, weeks, and months.

At Tidewater Jewish Foundation, we are doing just that. When we think about the past year, we recall celebrations and successes in our Jewish community, such as the LIFE & LEGACY community celebration, the generosity of donors which resulted in more than half a million dollars in grants that will provide support and aid to Ukrainian refugees as well as those sheltering in place, and the addition of a new scholarship provided by the Feldman family to offer the opportunity for a deserving student to pursue a

degree in the healthcare field.

On the immediate horizon are the outcomes from the Tidewater Jewish Foundation strategic plan, which is now underway, as well as an update on our community impact grants. I look forward to sharing all this and more in the coming months.

For nearly three years, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of serving as president and CEO of Tidewater Jewish Foundation. I am always inspired by the care, compassion, and philanthropy our community continues to exude. This

Passover, I am choosing to reflect on how lucky we are to be, mostly, on the other side of an unprecedented journey spanning the last three years. Together, we have learned how to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and because of this, we’re better. Because of this, we’re stronger.

Wishing everyone a Happy Passover! Next year in Jerusalem!

Naomi Limor Sedek, president/CEO of Tidewater Jewish Foundation, may be reached at nsedek@ujft.org.

Naomi Limor Sedek,

Broken Worlds: Music to Heal or to Divide

Shinshinim experience Jewish Advocacy Day as Israelis

Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin

Wejoined the Tidewater delegation for Jewish Advocacy Day in Richmond on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

In the morning, we all met to ride the bus to Richmond at the Simon Family JCC—you could feel the excitement. After six months of working with the community, meeting people, and being involved in community events, we feel this is our second home, and we were honored to be part of such an important day.

During Jewish Advocacy Day, Tidewater’s delegation advocated for proclaiming May as Jewish American Heritage Month, ensuring Jews are protected through hate crimes law, the statewide adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, and fighting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement— all as recommended by the Governor’s Commission to Combat Antisemitism.

As Israelis, we are grateful for the work being done in Tidewater for Israel and its future. We genuinely believe that the desire of the community to maintain the connection between Israel and the Diaspora preserves the existence of the

State of Israel and the survival of the Jewish people. The fact that Virginians do so much to make sure the Jewish people have their own state warms our hearts.

We are thankful for the chance to speak with Virginia legislators in the name of Israel, our home.

One special experience from Jewish Advocacy Day took place when Aya talked to Delegate Emily Brewer about the importance of the work the Jewish communities in the United States do to stay connected to Israel. Delegate Brewer put a VirginiaIsrael flag pin on her dress to show her support for our security and rights as a nation. She even asked for our phone numbers so we could lead some programs with schools in her district.

Israelis always feel excited when they meet people who support the existence of the State of Israel. We do not take this support for granted. We will never stop fighting for Israel’s rights as a nation.

We know the Tidewater delegation made a difference.

To connect with the Shinshinim, contact Nofar Trem at ntrem@ujft.org or 757-965-2334.

To be involved with advocacy efforts or learn more about the JCRC, contact Joel Bond at jbond@ujft.org or 757-965-6129.

Robert Shoup

Monday, April 3

7:00 pm

(Reception at 6:15 pm)

Brock Commons, Virginia Wesleyan University

In environments as varied as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Norfolk Street Choir Project, Robert Shoup has long sought to deploy music as a vehicle for meaningful human connection. While music’s capacity to heal is well-known, is it possible we unwittingly contribute to the climate of divisiveness by the ways we listen, sing, or play?

FREE & Open to the community. Questions? Call 757-455-3129.

Assistant Editor/Copywriter

Jewish News and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater are looking for a creative, detailed, deadline-oriented person to join the marketing team and newspaper staff. Want more details? Go to www.federation.jewishva.org

Robert Shoup  and the Norfolk Street Choir

The Robert Nusbaum Center hosts the annual Justine L. Nusbaum Lecture.

Robert Shoup.

Carin Simon, Alma Ben Chorin, and Rabbi Ari Oli.

Aya Sever in the atrium of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, which hosted the gathering of Virginia Jewish communities.

Looks Great...Who Did Your Fence?

JEWISH TIDEWATER

in Tidewater

Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin

Werecently had the chance to lead Tu B’Shevat and Purim activities around the community. It was a pleasure to participate in the region’s many festivities and share our experiences from celebrating these holidays in Israel with people of all ages.

We’ve started working with Strelitz International Academy’s Primary Years students in their classrooms. We taught them how to say and read new words in Hebrew, shared what Shabbat and the annual “Family Day” looks like in Israel, and led an exploration of Israel’s beautiful landscapes.

We grew up very active in the Israeli Scouts, so we were excited to get the invitation to meet with a group of Girl Scouts in Virginia Beach. It was extraordinary to teach the group about the Israeli Scouts and to learn more about the American

Girl Scouts. We even tried the famous Girl Scout cookies.

I (Aya) also had the opportunity to be a counselor in the Israeli scouts’ camp in Los Angeles, California. I worked with a group of 10th graders and led leadership, engagement, and activism activities. This unique experience was an excellent opportunity to hear about the experience of Israelis that live permanently in the United States and see how they infuse Israeli culture into their community. This month, we are heading back to Israel for a mid-year break. We look forward to returning to Tidewater with more energy, ideas, and program materials for everything we have planned. We hope to see your children and grandchildren at Israel Club this spring and at Israel Fest—a celebration of Israel’s 75th birthday!

To learn more about the Tidewater Shinshinim and how to get involved, go to JewishVA.org/shinshinim or contact Nofar Trem at ntrem@ujft.org.

Hamantaschen Bake with the William and Mary Hillel students.

Aya Sever and Alma Ben-Chorin with a Girl Scouts Troop.

Alma Ben-Chorin celebrating Purim with SIA’s Primary Years’ Classes

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Passover and Israel

Dear Readers,

When it comes to Passover, it appears I’m like most Jews world-wide because it’s my favorite Jewish holiday. As a child, I looked forward to my grandparents traveling from Philadelphia to be at our seder lead by my local grandfather. Now, I look forward to setting an expanded table for family and friends, making certain there is enough of every food and symbol strategically placed, reading the Haggadah, talking about current events and their relevancy with Passover, and singing a song or two.

Advance funeral planning

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www . altmeyerfuneralandcremation . com

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At Passover we celebrate freedom, renewal, reflection, and, in some ways, reconnection. And we think about Israel. After all, the story happens in Israel’s neighborhood, and we conclude the seder with “next year in Jerusalem.”

Borrowing from that well-known Haggadah line, the “next issue in Jewish News” will focus on Israel in recognition of its 75th anniversary. As part of the celebratory issue, we want to hear from you.

How do you feel about Israel? Did you have a special experience on a trip there? Are you an Israeli living in Tidewater? What has the existence of a Jewish state meant to you? Do you recall pre-state Israel?

Please, take a quick moment and email us your thoughts or story. It won’t take long because 200 words is the absolute maximum, closer to 100 is best, and the deadline is Thursday, March 23 so you don’t have much time to worry about it. Include a photo if possible. Email news@ujft.org and make the subject line: Jewish News Israel. We’ll reply to let you know we’ve received your piece. If you don’t get a return email, call me at 757-965-6132.

All of us at Jewish News hope you have a joyful and peaceful Passover and that you are able to reconnect with family, friends, and the incredible story of freedom.

Chag Pesach Sameach, Terri Denison Editor

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Passover Seders in Tidewater

Ohef Sholom Temple’s Annual Congregational Seder

Catered by Larry Adler

Thursday, April 6, 6 pm

$40, ages 13+; $20, ages 6–12

$10, ages 2–5; Free under age 2. RSVP at reservations@ohefholom.org

Simon Family JCC’s Annual Senior Seder

Wednesday, March 29, 12 pm

Sandler Family Campus

$10. Space is limited. Registration deadline is March 24.

RSVP at JewishVa.org/SeniorSeder or contact Robin Ford at 757-321-2304 or rford@ujft.com.

Temple Emanuel’s Second Seder

Thursday, April 6, 6 pm

$36 Adults; $26 Children 5–12 Free for children 4 and younger. Reservations and payment are required by Friday, March 24.

RSVP to the Temple office at 757-428-2591 or by email to  office@tevb.org. Visit www.tevb.org/donate/ to pay. When making a reservation, be sure to include the names and ages of those attending.

Second

Opinion: A sunflower for Ukraine? A tomato for farmworkers? Here’s why I’m sticking to the basics on my Passover seder plate.

Rabbi Sari Laufer

(JTA)—Olives. Tomatoes. Oranges. Artichokes. Dates. Cotton balls. And, now, sunflowers.

This list might seem like a setup for a logic puzzle or a grocery run. But it is, instead, a (non-exhaustive) list that I have seen of additions to the seder plate, items to highlight and include stories and histories that are not, at least explicitly, part of the Passover seder.

On its surface, it is a noble goal— why shouldn’t we consider the plight of Ukrainians in spring 2023 (sunflowers), or remember the American history of slavery (cotton ball)? Wouldn’t we want to honor the farm workers who put food on our tables (tomatoes), or intertwine the story of the Palestinians along with our own (olives)? In my own family, my mother insists on the orange on the seder plate, regardless of its apocryphal origin as feminist symbol.

But I won’t be adding anything to my plate. As a rabbi, teacher, and mother, I’m sticking with the traditional items.

My decision to eschew seder plate innovation stems from the thinking about inclusion that I do all the time in my work. Both in encountering ancient text and modern community, I am always asking: Who is not in the room? Whose voices are not being heard? I know that the language I use, that we use, matters; I think carefully about the stories I tell, the translations I use, and the questions I ask. When I preach, when I teach, my hope is always that anyone, regardless of how they identify, sees themselves in the text and in the message.

At the same time, I am always aware that by naming one story, or one identity, I might be excluding another.

One of the great tensions of Jewish

life in the 21st century is between universalism—the central themes and ideas of Jewish wisdom that speak to all of the human experience—and particularism, the doctrines and injunctions meant to distinguish Jewish practice and ritual from that of the rest of the world. And of all of our stories, it is perhaps Passover that best embodies this tension.

It is a story embraced by Jews, by Black Americans, by Christians the world over. It is our story, to be sure. But it is also a story for anyone, and everyone, who has ever known bondage, who has ever felt constricted, stuck in a narrow place. It is a story for all who have sought the freedom to be their fullest selves, whether that freedom is physical, spiritual, or both.

Bechol dor vador, chayav adam lirot et atzmo k’ilu hu yatza mi-Mitzrayim: In every generation, we are obligated to see ourselves as if we, ourselves, had come out of Egypt.

Core to the seder, this statement is our directive—this is how we must experience and also teach the Passover story and its lessons. We experience it as our own story; it is not simply something that happened to our ancestors, or a story of myth or history. It is ours, regardless of where we come from, who we are now, or where we might be going or becoming.

The seder night is a night for telling stories, our own and the ones we think need to be told. But to my mind, we do not need more on our seder plate to make that happen. In fact, I worry that, in this

Catered by Chef Larry Adler

case, more is less—in trying to include each particular story, we lose the universal truths. I hope that we sit around our seder tables and talk about the plight of today’s refugees, whether from Ukraine, Syria, or Central America. I hope that we sit around our seder tables and talk about the bravery of each and every person who tells their coming out story and lives their truth. I hope that we sit around our seder tables and talk about the Palestinian struggle for self-determination, the ongoing struggle for farmworker and immigrant justice here in the United States, the shameful history of American slavery and its lasting legacy of systemic racism, our own stories of immigration and exile and whatever other stories you and your families need to tell.

Over the course of the seder, we lift the items on the seder plate and tell of their significance. What is this bitter herb, we ask? It is to remind us of the bitterness of slavery, the bitterness of being subject to a power we have not chosen, the bitterness

of being despised for who we are. What is this shankbone, we ask? It is a reminder of the power that can redeem us, the helping hands that pull us out of our bondage, the strength of conviction that we honor. These are particular items, to be sure, but they are telling universal stories.

Why do we need additional items, when these symbols allow us to tell the stories we want to tell? I worry that the more specific stories we attempt to include, the more we are excluding. What happens to people who do not see their specific story represented on a seder plate that is groaning with symbols of so many other stories?

One of the core lessons of the Exodus is the impulse toward empathy. Over and over, the Torah returns to this narrative, reminding us to protect and love and be kind to the stranger, because we were strangers in the land of Egypt. The Torah is not specific; we do not name that we must be kind to the Ukrainian

refugee, or the trans teenager, or the Palestinian farmer, or the African man who is enslaved. Because to name one, in this context, would be to exclude another. Our empathy, the Torah teaches, is meant to be boundless and inclusive. We are to welcome anyone—and everyone—who feels out of place, who feels unmoored, who has been oppressed or mistreated.

To my mind, and in my understanding of the rites of Passover, each and every one of their stories is already represented on the seder plate and in the seder ritual. No additions needed.

Rabbi Sari Laufer is the director of Congregational Engagement at Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles.

Sephardic Matzah Spinach Pie recipe

Susan Barocas

Matzah

pies called minas are a classic Sephardic Passover dish, traditionally served for brunch or lunch with the slow-cooked, hard-boiled eggs called huevos haminados. The truth is that a mina makes a great side or main dish for any meal, even when it’s not Passover. With a top and bottom “crust” made from sheets of matzah, the filling can be made of meat—like seasoned lamb, beef, chicken—or vegetables, most commonly spinach and cheese, though sometimes with leeks or mashed potato added. Another option is to shred, salt, and squeeze about 2 pounds of zucchini to use in place of the spinach in the recipe below.

The flavors in this vegetarian mina mimic spinach and feta borekas or spanikopita, but I’ve added a twist. Given the fondness for artichokes in Sephardic food (and for me personally), I’ve added some to the filling for extra texture and flavor.

This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher.

MATZAH SPINACH PIE

INGREDIENTS

20 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed

5 or 6 sheets plain matzah

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Salt to taste

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and diced

½ cup fresh dill with thinner stems, finely chopped

1 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled feta

2 ∕ 3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided

1½ cup milk (can be low-fat)

½ tsp ground black pepper

¹∕ 8 tsp nutmeg (optional)

3 large eggs, divided

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put the spinach into a fine mesh strainer and set in the sink or over a bowl to drain.

3. Fill a large baking pan with tepid water. Break two sheets in half as equally as possible. Add the matzah to the pan of water for 2 minutes, making sure they are submerged. (You can gently lay a couple heavy pieces of silverware across the top of the matzah to hold down.) The matzah should be pliable, but still hold its shape. Take each sheet out by lifting it holding onto two corners. Let some of the water drip off for a moment, then lay the softened matzah in a single layer on a thick dish towel or two. You can do the matzah in batches depending on the size of your pan with water.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a couple pinches of salt, stir and sauté about 5 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Mix in the chopped artichoke and cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, as the artichokes and onions begin to take on a little color.

5. As the mixture cooks, use a large spoon or your hands to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the spinach. Set the squeezed spinach into a large mixing bowl, breaking up the clumps. When the onion and artichokes are ready, add to the bowl with the spinach and stir to blend the vegetables. Add the dill, feta, 1 ∕ 3 cup grated cheese, milk, pepper and nutmeg, if using. Mix until well blended, then taste for saltiness. Depending on the saltiness of the feta, add salt as needed. Beat two eggs and stir into the mixture until well blended.

6. Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in an 8 x 11.5-inch (2 quart) glass baking dish. Swirl the oil to cover the bottom and a bit of the sides, then put the dish in the preheated oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Heating the baking dish will help create a good bottom crust and keep it from sticking. As soon as the dish comes out hot, cover the bottom completely with about 1½ sheets of matzah, slightly overlapping. The matzah should sizzle as it hits the oil. Spoon half the spinach mixture onto the matzah and gently spread evenly. Cover with another layer of 1½ sheets of matzah, then the remaining spinach mixture making sure it’s even. Add the top layer of matzah, covering the filling edge to edge. Use the extra half piece of wet matzah to fill in any of the layers as needed.

7. Beat the remaining egg and tablespoon of oil together. Pour the mixture all over the top of the matzah. Some will drip down the sides and that’s fine. Use a pastry brush to spread any pools of egg so the coating on the matzah is even. Bake for 40 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup grated cheese evenly over the top. Continue baking another 10 to 12 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.

Passover Simon Family JCC’s

Yom Ha'Atzmaut

Annual Senior Seder

Wednesday, March 29, 12 pm Sandler Family Campus

Open to all seniors (55+) in Tidewater, the Simon Family JCC’s beloved annual model Passover Seder is a meaningful and tasty tradition. This year, Chazzan David Proser of KBH Synagogue will lead participants in a fun and engaging abbreviated service followed by a delicious traditional Passover meal. Tickets are $10. Space is limited. Registration deadline is March 24.

To register, go to JewishVa.org/SeniorSeder or contact Robin Ford at 757-321-2304 or rford@ujft.com.

presented by avraham Karen Ashkenazi

&

APRIL 30 •SUNDAY • 1-4 PM JEWISHVA.ORG/ISRAELFEST

Annual Senior Seder in 2022.

Matzah pajamas are the latest trend in a long history of American Jewish branding

Jackie Hajdenberg

(JTA)—Rabbi Yael Buechler conceived of her latest product two years ago, after planning ways to make the Passover seder fun for her two young sons. But it wasn’t until she started promoting the matzah pajamas she designed that she decided to make adult sizes, too.

When she reached out in December 2021 to The Maccabeats — the Orthodox a capella group that releases splashy new videos for most holidays — to offer kids’ pajamas for their Passover project, they demurred.

“They wrote back jokingly, ‘Haha — but like, do they come in grownup sizes?’” Buechler recalls.

But these days, both lines sell like, well, unleavened hotcakes. Jewish influencers have modeled the pajamas on social media, often as entire families, and the children’s set vaulted near the top of Passover sales rankings at ModernTribe, an online marketplace for Jewish products.

That the breakout Passover product is technically sleepwear reflects a new frontier in the ongoing commercialization of Jewish holidays. It also reflects the turn toward comfort clothes that Americans in general have made since the COVID19 pandemic began just before Passover three years ago.

“You used to get dressed up to go to seder, but now everyone is a lot more casual,” says Amy Kritzer Becker, one of ModernTribe’s owners.

Indeed, the promotion of fancy clothing for Passover is a prime example of American consumerism layered atop traditional Jewish practice. Many traditionally observant families buy new clothes, especially for children, for the holiday, to fulfill the mitzvah of simcha, or joy.

That became a marketing opportunity for clothing manufacturers as Jews moved to the United States in large numbers and emerged as a new consumer segment.

“Because of the alignment of the Passover holiday with Easter, it was an opportunity for Jews to also purchase nice attire,” says art historian Kerri Steinberg, author of Jewish Mad Men: Advertising and the Design of the American Jewish Experience

Steinberg says the commercialization of Judaism has been a defining characteristic of American Judaism—and, in some ways, a safeguard for Jewish identity in a country that long boasted of being a melting pot.

“One thing that’s been very discrete and sort of distinctive I would say about Judaism in America is how it’s been branded and marketed, and packaged,” she says. “[That acculturation] stopped short of full assimilation because in order to maintain a vibrant Jewish market, their identities had to be sort of retained in a discrete way.”

“In America, capitalism has been the key structure,” Steinberg adds. “So, it does make sense that there were opportunities for more consumption of Jewish goods and products around the holidays.”

Some of those goods and products were integral to observing the holiday. American Jewish newspapers from the turn of the century and onward featured ads from companies like Streit’s, Horowitz, and Manischewitz battling over claims to the best matzah and whitefish.

And of course there is also the Maxwell House Haggadah, created as a marketing ploy for the coffee company in 1932 and still produced today. Its creator, Joseph Jacobs, was an advertising maven who saw huge potential in a base of Jewish customers; he is credited

with inventing the concept of targeted marketing.

But other products promoted for Passover had little or nothing to do with what happens during it. Stetson advertised its hats to Jewish customers in Jewish newspapers, while Colgate hawked perfume and other companies noted sales on shoes. Even Macy’s had a Passover department advertised in a March 1912 edition of the now-defunct Hebrew Standard.

By the second half of the 20th century, other forces were working in favor of Passover products. The rise of identity politics in the 1970s meant that many Jews were seeking items that would let them display their Jewishness, Steinberg says. Then, starting in the 1990s, the rise of kitsch, a nostalgic aesthetic, opened the door to nostalgic items such as Manischewitz purses, Streit’s aprons, and gefilte fish T-shirts.

Just as dreidel and menorah patterns are ubiquitous on items mass-produced for Hanukkah, the telltale striping of factory-produced matzah has long adorned items marketed for Passover.

“People have always loved matzah products,” says Becker, whose store offers a slew of print-on-demand matzah-emblazoned products, as well as baby shoes in the print.

“Obviously matzah is the preeminent symbol of the holiday,” Steinberg says. “Claiming matzah is just a proud assertion of Jewish distinction.”

For Buechler, who launched her line of Jewish fashion products a decade ago with nail decals of the 10 plagues, the motif was inspired by her son’s confusion.

She had gotten her children new pajamas to liven up another at-home seder,

their second during the pandemic. “It goes late anyway,” she reasoned about the festive meal, which traditionally cannot begin until after sunset.

When she offered the two options—one yellow and the other blue— her then-2-year-old son declared he would have the “matzah pajamas.”

She decided to turn his idea into reality, creating a design that could be printed on fabric, ordering samples and then producing them in a large quantity in China. Then she set to work promoting the product, mailing free sets to influencers and reaching out to online Judaica stores, many of which were initially hesitant to purchase inventory they weren’t sure would sell. (Buechler also gave a set of matzah pajamas away through Kveller, the Jewish parenting site that, like JTA, is part of 70 Faces Media.) Then the adults began to demand pajamas for themselves, which were manufactured quickly.

How does fast fashion square with the meaning of the holiday?

“Passover has always been about making things in haste,” Buechler says. “And when you think about the matzah itself, the entire reason we have matzah is because we left Mitzrayim, we left Egypt, in a hurry.”

By last year, Buechler says she has sold around 1,800 sets of the matzah pajamas. Etsy lists them as a “bestseller” item, and ModernTribe, which also sells Buechler’s Midrash Manicure products, has sold over 100 of the children’s matzah pajamas since adding them to their inventory. They were the second-highest selling Passover item last year, behind coasters featuring the 10 Plagues.

“We’ve had a hard few years,” Kritzer says. “I think people just want to have a little fun too.”

Some products promoted for Passover had little or nothing to do with the holiday in the early 1900s.

JEWISH TIDEWATER

NADIV visits JMCC, gives locally and internationally

Matthew Kramer-Morning

NADIV, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s young men’s Giving Circle, recently completed this year’s giving process at the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center in Portsmouth.

On a Sunday evening in February the members were hosted for a dinner, learned about the mission of the museum, and explored through a values-based discussion how they wished to distribute the funds they have raised this year.

The group, which met in December to explore its shared philanthropic values, decided to focus on life saving initiatives. At JMCC, the group met, learned, and debated three incredible initiatives needed by UJFT’s funding partners. Ultimately the discussion settled on splitting the funds raised between Jewish Family Service of Tidewater (JFS) and the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

Locally, funds given to JFS will go to support local Russian Holocaust survivors whose funding this year had been cut from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, or “Claims Conference.” This money will support

services for these survivors including case management, transportation, food and financial assistance, and assistance with obtaining medical supplies.

Internationally, dollars given to JDC will go directly to support civilians living in Ukraine with food supplies and fuel for emergency generators to provide warmth.

As the invasion of Ukraine is in its second year, supplies are needed for civilians whose lives have been in a state of disruption and unknowing.

The giving circle raises money through its dues paying members and through the NADIV Bracket Challenge that takes place in March. This year, NADIV’s 13 sponsors for the challenge contributed $5,000 for the giving circle, in addition to the brackets. The men of NAVID are grateful to everyone who purchased a bracket in support of the giving circle and these important causes, and to the challenge’s sponsors.

Hello to Dr. Falsetta-Gilbert

Dr. Falsetta-Gilbert graduated from Nova Southeastern University in 2002 and worked in the Tidewater area since 2003. She also spent a year completing a residency in Philadelphia, focusing on vision disorders that affect children and adults.

In addition to treating and diagnosing medical conditions, Dr. Falsetta also fits and prescribes contact lenses and glasses. She is one of the few Optometrists in our area who fits contact lenses for pediatric patients.

When Dr. Falsetta-Gilbert is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Dr. Deena Falsetta-Gilbert and Dr. David Gilbert.

Matthew Kramer-Morning is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Leadership Campaign director. He may be reached at mkmorning@ujft.org.

Back row: Avidan Itzhak, Rabbi Avi Farkas, David Calliott, Rabbi Yedidya Koven, Ryan Benton, and Matthew Kramer-Morning.Front Row: Michael Yaary, Adam Walker, Avi Horowitz, Troy Ingram, Rick Rivin, Danny Rubin, Ian Cummings, Jonathan Kugel, Adam Fox, Alexander Fishman, and Shalom Markman.

CAMP

American Jews created historic summer camps. Or did summer camps create American Jews?

Philissa Cramer

(JTA)—Among Sandra Fox’s most memorable finds during her years mining American archives for materials about Jewish summer camps was a series of letters about the hours before lights-out.

The letters were by counselors who were documenting an unusual window in the day when they stopped supervising campers, leaving the teens instead to their own devices, which sometimes included romance exploration.

“It was each division talking about how they dealt with that free time before bed in ‘age-appropriate ways,’” Fox recalls about the letters written by counselors at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, the original iteration of the Conservative movement’s

network of summer camps.

“I’ve spoken to Christian people who work at Christian camps and have researched Christian camps. There is no free time before bed,” Fox says. “That’s not a thing if you don’t want kids to hook up. So, it was just amazing to find these documents of Camp Ramah leaders really having the conversation explicitly. Most of the romance stuff is implicit in the archives.”

The letters are quoted extensively in Fox’s new book, The Jews of Summer: Summer Camp and Jewish Culture in Postwar America. Fox, who earned a PhD in history from New York University in 2018 and now teaches and directs the Archive of the American Jewish Left there, tells continued on page 28

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CAMP

continued from page 26

the story of American Judaism’s most immersive laboratory for constructing identity and contesting values.

This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Given how much Jews like to talk about camp, were you surprised that this book hadn’t already been written?

Sandra Fox: There’s been a lot of fruitful research on the history of various camps, but it’s usually been focused on one camping movement or one camp type. So, there are articles about Zionist camps. There are certainly articles out there about the Ramah camps. A lot of camps have produced books—either their alumni associations or a scholar who went to let’s say, Reform movement camps have created essay collections about those camps. And there are also books about Habonim and other Zionist youth movements.

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I don’t really know why this is the first stab at this kind of cross-comparison. It might be that people didn’t think there would be so much to compare. I think the overwhelming feeling I get from readers so far, people who preordered and gotten their books early, is that they’re very surprised to hear how similar these camps are. So perhaps it’s that scholars weren’t thinking about Jewish summer camps that came from such diverse standpoints as having something enough in common to write about them all at once.

JTA: I was definitely struck by the “sameyness” of Jewish camps in your accounting. What do you think we can learn from that, either about camps or about us as Jews?

SF: I do want to say that while there’s a lot of sameyness, whenever you do a comparative study, there’s a risk of kind of collapsing all these things and making them seem too similar. What I’m trying to convey is that the camp leaders from a variety of movements took the basic structure of the summer camp as we know it—its daily schedule, its environment, its activities—and it did look similar from camp to camp, at least on

that surface level.

If you look at the daily schedules in comparison, they might have a lot of the same features, but they’ll be called slightly different things depending on if the camp leans more heavily towards Hebrew, or Yiddish, or English. But the content within those schedules would be rather different. It’s more that the skeletal structure of camp life has a lot of similarities across the board and then the details within each section of the day or the month had a lot of differences.

I think more so than saying anything about American Jewry, it shows kind of how flexible camping is. And that’s not just the Jewish story. Lots of different Americans have embraced summer camping in different ways.

JTA: So many people who have gone to camp have a fixed memory of what camp is like, where it’s caught in time, but you argue that camps have actually undergone lots of change. What are the most striking changes you documented, perhaps ones that might have been hard for even insiders to discern as they happened?

SF: First of all, the Israel-centeredness of American Jewish education as we know it today didn’t happen overnight in 1948, for instance. It was a slower process, beyond the Zionist movements where that was already going on, for decades before 1948. Ramah and the Reform camps for instance took their time towards getting to the heavily Zionistimbued curricula that we know.

There was considerable confusion and ambivalence at first about what to do with Israel: whether to raise an Israeli flag, not because they were anti-Zionist, but because American Jews had been thinking about proving their loyalty to America for many generations. There were some sources that would talk about—what kind of right do American Jews have to raise the Israeli flag when they’re not Israeli?

It fit camp life really well because broader American camps used Native American symbols, in some ways that are problematic today, to create what we know of as an iconography of camp life. So, for Jews, Israel and its iconography,

CAMP

or Palestine and iconography before ’48, provided an alternative set of options that were read as Jewish, but it still took some time to get to where we are now in terms of the Israel focus.

JTA: There’s a consensus view that camp is one of the most “successful” things the Jews do. What do you see as kind of the lessons that Jewish institutions or Jewish communities have taken from campt?

SF: I’m interested in how we got to the idea that camp should be successful. How did we get to those kinds of normative assumptions of like, this is a good Jew; a good Jew marries a Jew; a good Jew supports Israel, no matter what. So, what I wanted to do is zoom out from that question of success and show how camp actually functions.

And then the question of “does it work” is really up to the reader. To people who believe that curbing intermarriage is the most important thing, then camps have been somewhat successful in the

sense that people who go to these heavily educational camps are less likely to marry out of the faith.

JTA: And is camp also fun?

SF: Camp is fun—for a lot of people. Camp was not fun for everyone. And some people loved camp when they were younger and have mixed feelings about it now.

I think a lot of people when they’re little kids, learn songs in these Jewish summer camps they can’t understand and later they learn Hebrew and go, whoa, we were singing what?! My example from Zionist summer camp is singing “Ein Li Eretz Achere t,” or “I Have No Other Country.” We were in America, and we obviously have another country! I don’t think anyone in my youth movement actually believes the words “Ein Li Eretz Achere t” because we live in America and people tend to kind of like living in America and most of them do not move to Israel.

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JEWISH TIDEWATER

Anna Burk’s story from Holocaust Commission’s To Life: The Past is Present

Elka Mednick

Recentlypublished, To Life: The Past is Present: Holocaust Stories of Hampton Roads Survivors, Liberators and Rescuers, is the book’s second edition. This anthology contains recollections of ghetto and concentration camp survivors, hidden children, Jews on the run, refugees, and of daring, selfless rescuers who made their home in Hampton Roads following the Holocaust and World War II.

Following is an excerpt of Anna (Chana) Shapiro Burk’s story. To learn more about the many other brave individuals who fill the pages of To Life: The Past is Present, visit www.holocaustcommission.org/.

Anna (Chana) Shapiro Burk

A sister’s love and strength helped her survive

Edited by Frieda Igdal

Atthe beginning of World War II, (Chana Meri) Anna Shapiro lived with her widowed mother and two sisters in Pakruojis, Lithuania. They resided in a building that her mother owned in which she also operated a small hotel, the Hotel Europa, and a grocery store. After graduating from high school, and aside from being trained as a midwife, Anna was helping her mother with the business, and as a family, they were quite comfortable financially. Due to the Communist occupation of the Baltic states, Anna Shapiro and her friend Rita Sands left home in January 1941 to seek employment in the city of Kovno (now Kaunus). Anna’s sister, Ruth (Rivka), joined them on June 21, 1941. Upon Ruth’s arrival, the German Army had started to invade the city and were also bombing it by air. As flames engulfed the city, the women rushed into a house near the station, where they waited in hiding with other Jews for two days.

Realizing there was no way for them to return home to Pakruojis, they headed the 60 miles for Vilna, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania), by foot. When they reached Vilkomir, Luthuania, the Nazis, parachuting into the town, forced them to return the 43 miles to Kovno. There they were ordered into a large building full of other Jews, and commanded not to leave except to pick up their rations from a local store. Getting to the store was its own humiliation, as they were forced to walk in the gutter, barefoot, and in single file, where they were rationed a piece of bread, some grits, and salt.

In Kovno in late June, Anna’s sister, Ruth, and a friend were captured and taken to the Seventh Fort massacre. They escaped, and Anna was sitting shiva for her sister when they met again.

The Ghetto. On July 15, 1941, Anna and her sister Ruth entered the Kovno Ghetto and were forced to wear the black and yellow cloth bearing the Star of David on their chests. The ghetto was enclosed a month later with barbed wire; reflectors were strategically placed, and it was heavily guarded by Nazi, Lithuanian, and Ukranian police. Anna and Ruth lived with eight other people in two small rooms, sleeping on the floor. Twice a week they would get rations from the Nazis, as the ghetto had no shops. Their ration continued to be a small portion of bread, grits, and salt, and once a week they received some horse meat, some rotten herring, and rotten potatoes, which gave the ghetto a particular stench.

On August 18, 1941, Anna’s fiancé was collected and murdered at the Fourth Fort action. This was the murder of the intelligentsia; her fiancé had

been a journalist, an occupation unacceptable for a Jew. She sat shiva for a second time in two months.

The ghetto’s commandant, a man named Jordan, was known for his cruelty. All Jews were roused at 5 a.m. daily and lined up by the ghetto’s gate. From there, they were divided into groups of several hundred, and walked to designated working areas by Nazi police carrying guns, whips, and clubs.

A cruel job involved unloading food for the military from trains. The workday diet was a watery soup made from potato peelings. None of the workers was paid for the forced labor.

While working on the military trains, Anna met Dovid Igdalski, and together they arranged for their siblings, Rivka and Israel, to marry as an attempt for protection from the Nazis. It was a success both

Anna (right) with her sister, Ruth and Charles, her husband.

in the ghetto and for the rest of their lives.

After two or three weeks in the ghetto, Anna and the others were ordered by Commandant Jordan into the courtyard. Two rows of Gestapo men faced each other, and the ghetto residents had to walk between them, ordered to the left or the right. This lasted about 12 hours.

When the line ended, those on the right, like Anna and Ruth, were ordered back to their quarters. If separated family members tried to reach each other on the other side, they were beaten unmercifully. Those unfortunate souls ordered to the left were taken under guard out of the ghetto, shot, and thrown into graves which the Jews had been compelled to dig.

In 1943, Anna, still in the Kovno Ghetto, contracted typus from the unsanitary conditions and her weakened condition after two years of forced labor. At age 24 she weighed 65 pounds. She was confined to her room for three months, where she was secretly treated by a kind doctor. The Judenrat worked very hard to keep the epidemic secret so the Nazis would not know Anna or anyone else was absent from work shifts. After recovering, Anna was assigned to work building the Kovno airfield, where she dug ditches, mixed cement, carried steel beams, and pushed wheelbarrows filled with dirt, stones, or cement. As they performed this and other heavy labor, their Nazi overseers beat them at will. She learned that the Nazis had killer her mother and her other sister.

After recuperating from her illness, Anna and her friend Frieda escorted Frieda’s infant daughter out of the ghetto into the waiting arms of a close non-Jewish friend, a teacher. Twenty-seven years later, that baby, Ruta, was found and reunited with her family in Israel.

Gifangen Concentration Camp. On November 30, 1943, Anna was ordered from the ghetto to Gifangen Concentration Camp, previously a Lithuanian military installation in a Kovno suburb called Aleksotas. There, about 1,500 men, women, and children were housed in a large brick building. The camp itself was surrounded by barbed wire and each corner had reflectors. The daily routine

was equivalent to the Kovno Ghetto, with Nazi police always on guard.

Stuthoff. In July of 1944, Anna and Ruth were two of about 50 women loaded onto a boxcar. Men were loaded into other cars, and the train set off for several days with hardly any food and no ventilation, eventually arriving at the concentration camp at Stutthof. Walking into the camp, Anna saw the crematorium, and she also saw something behind it that looked like a mountain. But as she looked closer, she realized that it was a huge pile of shoes and clothing left behind by the people who had lost their lives and burned in the ovens.

Stutthof was surrounded by electrified barbed wire and hundreds of police with clubs, pistols, and machine guns. The new prisoners were taken into a large white building where they slept on the floor. The next morning the Nazis marched the men away, and an hour later herded the women into the yard. They were taken into a building and ordered by the guards to strip naked, walk into yet another room. The officers then commanded the soldiers to go through Anna’s and the others prisoners’ hair and mouths to search for hidden money or jewelry.

In a third room, the indignity continued as each woman had a pelvic examination by a doctor to look for more valuables internally. After this horror, they were packed into yet another room, and promised a shower, but only with a few drops of water. Their last stop was another room with mounds of clothing on the floor. They were told to take one garment, whether it fit or not, and then to pick a pair of shoes. From the time they entered the building to be searched until they picked up their “new” shoes, 24 hours had passed with no food or drink. There was just one huge line of people walking from room to room.

Anna was then taken into a wooden barrack housing hundreds. Each barrack had only one small door, so only one person could enter or exit at a time. Like other camps, there was electrified barbed wire encompassing the prisoners’ world. After three weeks at Stutthof, she was taken on a small ship with 500 women to

Dorf Sztynort, where they were housed in shelters made of what looked to her like heavy cardboard. Each was round and housed about 50 women, who slept on the straw-covered ground. There were no sanitary facilities. Anna was again forced to dig trenches and bunkers.

On January 21, 1945, Anna got up to report to work as usual, but was told that they were going to a new place to work. But as the Nazis were talking, the bombs kept falling, and she thought the Nazis were bombing the prisoners. She and the other women who survived the bombing were forced to walk without food or rest. Those who fell by the wayside were shot by the Nazis. This was the beginning of the Stutthof death march.

Liberation. Those who survived were forced into various buildings. Anna and her sister found shelter in a haystack in the loft of a barn. Before leaving, the Nazis bayoneted the haystacks, seeking stragglers. Luckily, the two were not found. They hid in the haystacks for seven days surviving on icicles. Slowly, the prisoners began to recognize the singing of Russian songs. Soon Russian soldiers arrived and asked the women who they were. When they told the Russians they were Jews in Nazi servitude, the Russians told them that they were free, and that they need have no further fears. This day, which Anna would always remember was January 25, 1945. The place was Redzikowo, Poland.

The Russians took them in trucks to a deserted village in Poland where Jews, most of whom had barely any clothes on their backs, were told they could enter any home and make themselves comfortable. Anna and Ruth stayed there for one week. Then the sisters and four other women decided to return to their hometown of Pakruojis. They got as far as Bialystok, Poland in an open-topped railroad car. There the train stopped, and they were told they could disembark for a while, as there would be a considerable delay.

They walked into town, and noticed some other Jewish people. Those Jews, members of the Bricha (a Jewish relief agency that helped Jews get to Palestine during WWII), advised them to remain

there, since Bialystok had a Jewish Committee that would advise them where it would be best for them to go. Anna and her comrades took the advice and remained there until after Passover. Then the Jewish Committee sent them to Budapest, Hungary, where they stayed for two weeks. It was the first time in almost four years that Anna was treated well and lived like a civilized human being. The refugees were given food and clothing, and examined by real doctors.

Postwar. After departing from Budapest they traveled to the Ludus Kibbutz, a Bricha training camp, from which they planned to immigrate to Israel. Instead, because of Ruth’s illness, they headed for Vienna and resided in the Rothschild Hospital, where they remained until June 5, 1946. While in Vienna she met Chil Berkowitz, her future husband, on June 7, 1946. Soon, the newlyweds immigrated to the United States of America.

POSTSCRIPT

Anna and Chil, who later changed his name to Charles, had one son, Franklin Robert, who was born in 1947 and died in 1997. Anna died in February 1998.

Anna’s husband, Charles, sister, Ruth Igdal, and brother-in-law, Irving Igdal, are also included in the book.

Anna (Chana) Shapiro Burk.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Parents of Religious School students expand their own Jewish learning

Next class: Sunday, March 26, 10 am Ohef Sholom Temple, free

Sierra Lautman

TheKonikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is partnering with Ohef Sholom Temple to offer the course, The Foundations of Jewish Family Living. These classes take place on Sunday mornings when the participants’ children attend Religious School.

The course’s text-based learning allows every parent raising Jewish children to grapple with Jewish text, no matter their level of previous Jewish education or their own religious affiliation. The texts studied include stories from the Tanakh (Jewish Bible), a variety of Torah commentary (midrashim), and many of the teachings of rabbis and leaders of Jewish thought.

Each class ties together the Jewish values and issues found in the text with matters the families may face at home. For instance, the first class focused on stories, values, and the importance of tzedakah (righting injustice). After studying texts from the Tanakh and reading commentary on the levels of tzedakah by Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides), the discussion turned to how chores are a child’s first act of tzedakah. “In order to practice ‘right action,’ children need both skills (competence to do what is good) and motivation (the will to take on responsibility),” says Dr. Wendy Mogel, clinical psychologist and Jewish educator. “Doing chores—looking after themselves and helping the family— are their first good deeds.”

At the start of the second class, one parent shared how what they learned in the first class inspired them to build out their children’s responsibilities at home. These types of stories demonstrate the rich possibilities that arise when deep discussions around Jewish texts become applicable to

families’ everyday lives.

“I love the partnership we have created with UJFT this year,” says Alyson Morrissey, director of Lifelong Learning at Ohef Sholom Temple. “Having the Foundations of Jewish Family Living classes here has been very meaningful for our parents and community.”

The Foundations of Jewish Family Living classes are free and open to all parents in the community. At the next class, Living Beyond the Day to Day, participants will use Jewish texts as a foundation for discussing the importance of actively seeking rest and renewal during their busy lives and how Shabbat can be a space for that break or at least provide valuable lessons on how to make space for it.

To learn more or to register, visit JewishVA. org/FOJL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.

JUSTINE L. NUSBAUM LECTURE

Broken Worlds: Music to Heal or to Divide with Robert Shoup

Monday, April 3; Reception: 6:15 pm, Lecture: 7 pm

Brock Commons, Virginia Wesleyan University

Ina world that seems to be defined by conflict and seemingly endless divisions, music continues to function as a steady thread through individual and shared experiences. While music’s capacity to heal is well-known, is it possible people unwittingly contribute to the climate of divisiveness by the ways they listen, sing, or play? From political and religious animosities to racial and cultural contentions, music has long had a role in both binding and opening wounds.

In environments as varied as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Norfolk Street Choir Project, Robert Shoup seeks to deploy music as a vehicle for meaningful human connection.

In addition to the many choirs he has led and the numerous international orchestras he has conducted, Shoup has served as chorus master and staff conductor for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra since 1997, leading in commercial recording projects, international tours, and multiple collaborations with Virginia Arts Festival. In 2016 he founded the Norfolk Street Choir to engage individuals experiencing homelessness. He is a founding board member of the National Alliance for Music in Vulnerable Communities and serves as the music director for Second Presbyterian Church of Norfolk.

Hosted by the Robert Nusbaum Center at Virginia Wesleyan University, this annual

endowed lectureship pays tribute to the life of Justine L. Nusbaum, a local humanitarian who was born in 1900 and whose compassion and generosity reached people of diverse religions, races, and nationalities.

For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757-455-3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.

IT’S HERE: Kosher food delivery from Cardo Café

Staff report

Monday through Friday, 9 am–2 pm, delicious breakfast and lunch entrees and side dishes are available from the Cardo Café at the Sandler Family Campus. They may be ordered in-person as well as online and picked up when ready. With the addition of the DoorDash Drive program, those same meals are now available to be delivered.

All orders with DoorDash Drive have a flat fee added for delivery and a service charge, with the option to tip the driver. Customers order in the same way as if picking up the food, by going to Cardo Café online (simonfamilyjcc.org and type “Cardo Café” in the search option).

This is one of the only options in Tidewater to have a kosher meal delivered.

For more information, contact Benita Watts, director of campus operations, at ops@ujft.org or call 757-965-6123.

Sierra Lautman, senior director of Jewish Innovation at UJFT leads a Foundation of Jewish Family Living class at Ohef Sholom Temple.

Robert Shoup.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Yom Hashoah 2023 Community Holocaust Commemoration

Sunday, April 16, 6:45 pm, Temple Israel

Elka Mednick

TheHolocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater invites the community to attend the annual Holocaust Day of Remembrance, Yom Hashoah.

The commemoration will feature a speaker, candle lighting ceremony, and prayers led by community leaders.

Student winners of the Holocaust Commission’s annual Elie Wiesel competitions will be recognized for their accomplishments. Also, recipients of the

Caught on camera

Commission’s Excellence in Education awards will be honored for their tireless work with students throughout the year.

For more information about Yom Hashoah, or the work of the Holocaust Commission, visit www.HolocaustCommission.org or email info@holocaustcommission.org.

Celebrate Israel @ 75 with The PhotoHouse

Wednesday, April

26, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus

Theworld-renowned PhotoHouse is one of Israel’s most valuable and monumental private archives of historical photographs. Founded in 1936, it has been owned and operated by the same family for three generations.

Rudi Weissenstein captured millions of photos of pre-state Israel as well as of the first decades of her early statehood. His grandson, Ben Peter, currently oversees the collection, which is the largest private photo archive in Israel, comprised of approximately one million negatives.

Leading up to the community celebration of Israel @ 75 on Sunday, April 30, a rotating collection of photographs from PhotoHouse’s archive is being featured in the Sandler Family Campus’ Copeland Cardo.

A campus-wide exhibit of Rudi Weissenstein’s photos, curated by Peter, will be on display in the JCC’s Leon Family Gallery in celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut,

Israel’s Independence Day, April through June.

On April 26, Peter will speak following a screening of the film  Life in Stills, which tells the story of Peter and his grandmother, Miriam Weissenstein, as she faces a new chapter of her life at the age of 96. When The PhotoHouse was destined for demolition, she knew she needed help. A special relationship was forged between her and Peter as they joined forces to save the shop.

Life in Stills.

Luca Calliott proves that one can never begin reading the Jewish News too early.

CALENDAR WHAT’S HAPPENING

The Four Corners of the World: Israel Today Offers a Celebration of Natural Wonders

Thursday, March 23, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus, Free

Elka Mednick and Hunter Thomas

Admired for his engaging and boundary pushing photography, Roie Galitz is equal parts passion and commitment in his pursuit to get the best shots of animals in their natural habitats. His innovative work has been featured in National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine and many more publications have garnered Galitz international awards and acclaim.

Galitz has traveled to every corner of the world and has witnessed the impact of climate change. As a result of his wide-ranging expeditions, Galitz has spoken at the United Nations, New York Climate Week, and TEDx in Helsinki, among other places. Galitz actively shares his passion for photography, adventure, and protecting the natural world. Galitz is an Explorer member of the Explorers Club and a board member of the Israeli Nature and Heritage Foundation.

Scheduled to visit Tidewater in 2022, Galitz was unable to travel due to COVID19. He is making the trip this year as part of the 12th Annual Israel Today Series, presented by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, & Community Partners.

Originally conducted in 2022, this interview has been edited for length.

Elka Mednick: How did you decide to make photography your career?

Roie Galitz: I was a commercial photographer when I started, and did not enjoy it, so I quit photography and began working in finance. Finance wasn’t for me, so I slowly began teaching photography on the side, and found that engaging. In 2007, while I was still working in finance I opened a photography school. Once the school was stable, I quit my finance job and started a photo travel company. Then I was able to take the time to photograph what I wanted, and start enjoying photography again. It

was quite exciting to be able to pursue my passion professionally.

EM: Where have you traveled to that was the most surprising?

RG: That has to be Svalbard. The first time I traveled to Svalbard, which was 10 years ago, it was completely an amazing surprise! Seeing Polar Bears for the first time really changed me in a way that I became so passionate about Polar Bears, and about photography, wildlife photography, mostly about the environment. That actually got me into being an activist, and being an environmental diplomat because at that point I saw the Arctic melting so fast in front of my very eyes. Basically that’s why I joined Green Peace and I became way more active in the diplomatic environmental way.

EM: Do you have a favorite place to visit? Do you have a favorite animal to photograph?

RG: Everywhere is special, and there are lots of favorites, but I’d have to say Svalbard is the most unique and it’s the least documented. There are not many photographers who have the unique access I have to Polar Bears. I’d say that this is my life’s project, so this is why I go over and over, and why the Polar Bears are my favorite animal to photograph. They’re really smart, really cute, really endangered, and I feel like it’s my mission to help save them.

Free and open to the community, RSVP (required) at JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org.

MARCH 21, TUESDAY

Woman on Fire with Lisa Barr at the Chrysler Museum Woman on Fire is a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece—forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth. After talking her way into a job with the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, Jules Roth is given an unusual assignment: Locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman On Fire. Presented by UJFT and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, in partnership with UJFT’s Holocaust Commission and the Chrysler Museum of Art Book Club. 12 pm. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org.

MARCH 22, WEDNESDAY

Families of the Wild, with Roie Galitz. Israeli wildlife photographer Roie Galitz will join PJ Library in Tidewater families at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center to share his experiences photographing families in the wild all over the world. Hands-on crafts and experiments will accompany Galitz’s presentation. A kosher dinner will be served. Free, but limited. 6 pm. Registration is required. For more information or to register visit JewishVA.org/PJLibrary or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.

MARCH 26, SUNDAY

Foundations of Jewish Family Living: Living Beyond the Day-to-Day. At Ohef Sholom Temple. This free class (for parents and grandparents raising Jewish children) is an eye-opening journey that offers the tools to impart the beliefs, richness, and beauty of our tradition to the next generation. Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater in partnership with Ohef Sholom Temple. 10:30 am. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/FOJL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org. See page 32.

MARCH 29, WEDNESDAY

A Senior’s Passover Seder. Join the Simon Family JCC Seniors for their annual model Passover seder with Chazzan David Proser of KBH Synagogue. 12 pm. Tickets are $10 and include lunch. Space is limited, pre-registration required. For more information or to register visit JewishVA.org/SeniorSeder or contact Robin Ford at rford@ujft.org. See page 21.

APRIL 16, SUNDAY

Yom Hashoah at Temple Israel. Honor local Holocaust survivors and remember those who perished at Temple Israel. 6:45 pm. For more information, visit www.holocaustcommission.org or contact Elka Mednick at emednick@ujft.org. See page 33.

APRIL 20, THURSDAY

Monthly Moon Circle. The Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater invites the community into a tradition that spans thousands of years: a monthly holiday known as Rosh Chodesh, meaning “head of the month”. 6:45 pm. Come together for self-reflection and rituals that will help connect with this ancient legacy, learn from Jewish wisdom, and embrace the unique spiritual energy of each month. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.

APRIL 26, WEDNESDAY

The film, Life in Stills, followed by a conversation with costar and Photohouse owner, Ben Peter. Presented by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, & Community Partners’ 12th annual Israel Today Series, in partnership with the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film. 7:30 pm. At the age of 96, Miriam Weissenstein never imagined that she would be facing a new chapter in her life. When her late husband’s life’s work was destined for demolition, she and her grandson, Ben forged a special relationship to join forces to save the shop. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org. See page 33.

APRIL 30, SUNDAY

Community Celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s 75th birthday! 12–4 pm. Taste the cornucopia of flavors in Israeli food, a reflection of the diversity in the country’s population. Shop in the Shuk, the outdoor marketplace, create art, ride a camel, visit the “Jerusalem Petting Zoo,” and more. Ben Peter, the featured guest, is the grandson of the founding owners of the Tel Aviv PhotoHouse, a world-renowned private archive of historical photographs, many of which document pre-Statehood Israel, right through Israeli Independence and the years that follow. For more information, to check out videos from last year, or to listen to a specially curated Israeli music playlist, visit Jewishva.org/IsraelFest. Send submissions for calendar to news@ujft.org. Be sure to note “calendar” in the subject. Include date, event name, sponsor, address, time, cost, and phone.

Polar Bear and camera.

Employment Opportunity

WHAT’S HAPPENING Director, Women’s Philanthropy & Affinities

Temple Israel seeks images of Rabbi Michael Panitz and his family for 30th anniversary celebration Celebration slated for Sunday, April 2 is sold-out.

Bobbie Fisher

AyoungRabbi Michael Panitz, his wife

Sheila, and their three children—Emily, Zeke, and Benjamin—came to Norfolk to assume Temple Israel’s pulpit in 1992.

Trained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he was ordained as a rabbi in 1982 and received a Ph.D. in Jewish history in 1989, Rabbi Panitz was the search committee’s unanimous choice. For all these 30 years, his spiritual leadership on the pulpit and his guidance and support for congregants has made him respected and loved by all.

Jewish education has always been a love and focus of his life. In Tidewater, Rabbi Panitz has been active in adult Jewish education, teaching for the Florence Melton Adult Mini School since its inception in South Hampton Roads. He has taught religious studies, history, and Hebrew language at Old Dominion University and Virginia Wesleyan University. He regularly contributes to national scholarly journals and gives lectures on a variety of

VBPD Cadet Program now accepting applicants

First-hand experience with the Virginia Beach Police Department is offered through its Cadet Program.

The Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) Cadet Program is primarily for individuals 18 to 20 years old interested in a future career with VBPD. Candidates must be willing to enter the police academy upon first eligibility.

This program helps young adults gain invaluable experience and insight into law enforcement responsibilities and specialty units while building a career within the City of Virginia Beach. Must be 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED.

Cadets are paid $16 per hour, 28 hours per week.

For more information, go to www.vbgovcareers.com Job #34866, call 757-385-6984 or email ebyrne@vbgov.com.

topics, from Judaism to music to history, often interweaving the three.

Possessed of a razor-sharp wit and an unabashed love for a joke (the cornier, the better it seems), there is little he likes more than a rousing game of Stump the Rabbi. And almost nothing he likes more than answering thoughtful questions from eager learners.

A slide show is being created for the event. Temple Israel requests that if anyone has pictures of Rabbi Panitz and/or his family to share to please e-mail templeisraelva1954@gmail.com or send a copy to the Temple Israel office, 7255 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23505.

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks a creative, articulate, and well-organized individual to work within Women's Division and other targeted (small affinity) areas of the general Campaign. The primary role is to engage new donors, cultivate relationships, and solicit donations to advance Federation’s mission.

The Women’s Campaign Director will organize and facilitate the activities of Women’s Philanthropy Committee, which can include lay leadership development and succession planning; women’s ratings and assignments; outreach to new donors; stewardship of existing donors; and serving in a key senior professional role on the development team. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree with (3) three or more years’ experience in fundraising or equivalent combination of relevant education, experience and skills required; excellent customer service skills, and experience in volunteer management. Strong knowledge of basic office computing, including MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams), Zoom and basic database management skills required. (Proficiency in Power BI and Abila Millennium products a PLUS). Must be able to work off-shift hours including nights and weekends, as needed.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Complete job description at www.federation.jewishva.org

Submit cover letter, resume and salary requirements to: resumes@ujft.org

Attention: Taftaleen T. Hunter, Director of Human Resources – Confidential

Equal Opportunity Employment

Rabbi Michael Panitz.

OBITUARIES

HERMAN “BUD” BLUMENTHAL

NORFOLK—Herman “Bud” Blumenthal, 87, passed away on Feb. 27, 2023 at Harbor’s Edge Retirement Home.

He was born in Washington, DC. Bud was the son of the late Joseph and Anna Blumenthal. He was president of L&B Investment Mortgage Co. He was a member of Temple Israel and formerly of Temple Emanuel in Virginia Beach where he served as both president and a longtime treasurer.

Left to cherish his memory are a daughter, Geri Jean Wilson of South Pasadena, Calif.; two sons Robert Alan Blumenthal and his wife Tess of Jefferson, Md.; Jeffrey Richard Blumenthal and his wife Laura of Virginia Beach, Va.; seven grandchildren, Hannah Feldman (Matthew); Devra Blumenthal (Raffi Sharon), Alex Blumenthal (Alexina Shaber), Jonathan Weimorts (Elizabeth); Benjamin Blumenthal; Jules Blumenthal; Isaac Blumenthal; and six great grandchildren,

Rachel and Sydney Feldman, Max and Zac Ovics and Abigail and Ria Weimorts.

A funeral service was conducted in the Norfolk Chapel of H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. with Rabbi Michael Panitz officiating. Burial followed in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be offered at www.hdoliver.com.

MARJORIE ELLEN TOPPER GREENE

ATLANTA, GA.—Marjorie Ellen Topper Greene peacefully passed away surrounded by family on Sunday, February 19, 2023, at 4:48 pm, at the age of 86.

She was born to George and Lillian Topper in New York City, July 20, 1936. Soon after, she moved to Norfolk, where she finished her high school days at Maury High School and Beth El Religious school. Her dream of being an educator led her to attend the University of Georgia where she joined Delta Phi

Epsilon, and met her former husband, Martin Greene.

She was blessed with four sons, Jeffrey, Marc, Lawrence, and Brian. She spent her life educating children, being an entrepreneur, working with numerous charities and running concession stands for local baseball parks. She was active in Congregation Shearith Israel and an instrumental part in starting special education programs for the Jewish community centers both in Atlanta, Georgia, and Mobile, Alabama. Her two true loves were her family and her yorkies. Whether it was New York, Norfolk, Atlanta, or Mobile, if you met Marsha, she soon became a dear and trusted friend. Whether it was her humor or advice, you could always be sure there was never a filter. Without exception if you knew her, you loved her and felt warm in her presence. Her accolades and leadership roles are too numerous to name here but everyone knew her greatest two titles, and the two she was the proudest of, Grandma and Mom. We can never express the impact she has had on so many lives, but we know she is always with us. She will be loved by her family and friends until the end of time.

She leaves behind her most precious assets, her sons Jeffrey, Marc, Lawrence, Brian, and her grandchildren Bradley, Tiger, Zachary, Jack, Joseph, Ari, Michael, Jeremi and Kaila. Her cousins Steven Legum, Suzie Schustek Tuckman, Melissa Legum Inman. Nephew Jason Topper niece Melanie Topper.

A memorial service held at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Norfolk, was livestreamed at facebook.com/hdoliverfuneralapts.

DANIEL MARCEL HUNTER

VIRGINIA BEACH —Daniel Marcel Hunter, 36, tragically passed away from an unfortunate traffic accident.

Daniel was laid to rest on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

Daniel was born to Max and Dafna Hunter on March 11, 1986. Daniel was a friendly soul who would always befriend anyone he met. He never knew a stranger and touched the lives of EVERYONE around him. He graduated from First Colonial High School in 2005. After

graduation, Daniel took a job at the Little Creek’s Commissary and continued working there for the last 16 years.

Left to cherish his memory are his parents, Max and Dafna Hunter; brother, Tommy Hunter; grandmother, Helene Hunter; uncle, Mike Hunter; many aunts, uncles, cousins in the U.S. and Israel; extended family and friends.

Condolences may be left online at www.altmeyerfh.com.

HONEY LOW

NORFOLK—Honey Low passed away peacefully March 4 after a short illness with her husband and family by her side.

Honey was born August 11, 1938 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. to William and Sara Unterberger Jaffee. She moved to Philadelphia to then meet her husband of 64 years, Bob Low. Honey and Bob met in 1954 and they were married in 1958. They came to Norfolk in 1960 and have lived in Norfolk/VA Beach for the past 63 years.

Honey graduated from Olney High School in Philadelphia, received her Bachelor of Science from Temple University and ODU and her Master’s in education from ODU.

Honey dedicated her professional life to education and advocacy for children to obtain the educational resources that they deserved. She helped over 200 children throughout Hampton Roads through many roles as special education teacher, educational advocate, and volunteer. She was passionate about helping children with special needs, particularly autistic children. She helped more students than anyone really knows.

She was very proud when her students were successful as they graduated high school. There are many stories of families that contribute their child’s successful completion of high school to Honey’s advocacy on their behalf. She maintained relationships with the students and their families for many years. Some of the organizations that benefited from Honey’s hard work and many hours of selfless service are Toras Chaim, Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Jewish Family Service, and many public schools throughout Hampton Roads.

OBITUARIES

Honey learned to be a Zionist from her father and loved visiting Israel throughout her life. She always wanted to be a Bubbe and was fortunate to be blessed with 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She spent countless hours traveling and spending quality time with her grandchildren in Baltimore, Richmond, and Norfolk. She valued her family, Jewish values, and traditions. Her favorite Jewish holiday was Pesach and we will miss her at our Pesach seders for years to come.

Honey leaves her husband of 64 years, Bob Low, to cherish her memory. She is survived by her children, Rick (Robin) Low of Richmond, Va., Debbie (Marty) Disney of Baltimore, Md. and Shira (Shmuel) of Norfolk. She leaves 9 grandchildren that remember her as “Bubbe,” “purple”, or “Bubster”: Rochelle (Jake) Friedman, Rebecca Low, Adina Disney, Jordan (Laura) Disney, Josh (Lauren) Disney, Aleah Disney, Noam (Shayna) Itzhak, Avidan (Andie) Itzhak, Ayelet (Eitan) Stern. Honey was blessed with 9 great-grandchildren, Analiese and Sydney Friedman, Ezra and Aviva Disney, Noah Disney, Maytal and Eliana Itzhak, Aliza and Emanuel Stern.

The funeral for Honey Low took place at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Contributions in Honey’s memory can be made to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, Amit (Amitchildren.org), Chabad of Tidewater, or the charity of one’s choice.

SANDRA “SANDI” PEARL

VIRGINIA BEACH —Mrs. Sandra (Sandi) Pearl, 88, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2023.

Sandi was born in Brooklyn, N. Y. on June 8, 1934, to Morris and Rose Gilman.

Over the years, Sandi’s passions included tending to her rose gardens, sewing, and playing mahjong with her friends. She adored spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sandi enjoyed caregiving with the elderly where she volunteered at Beth Sholom Village for more than 20 years. She was a devoted wife for 69 years, a caring mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Sandi was preceded in death by her

husband, Sidney Pearl, her parents, Morris and Rose Gilman, as well as her two brothers, Sidney and Jerome Gilman.

Sandi is survived by her five children, Michele Vicars and husband Claude, Keith Pearl and wife Tina, Kenneth Pearl and wife Carlen, Michael Pearl and wife Gail and Bruce Pearl and wife Michelle, 9 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and a great-grandson due in August.

A graveside service officiated by Rabbi Israel Zoberman was held at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. Donations to Virginia Beach SPCA or Beth Sholom Village.

INGER FREDRIKKE

BRATLAND PINCUS

NORFOLK—It is with much sadness, a lot of love, and a sincerely great appreciation for a wonderful life shared with us, that the Pincus, Silverstein, Gjertsen, Friedman, Bratland, HellyHansen Family shares the news of the passing Tuesday, February 7, 2023, of Inger Fredrikke (Inger-Dikken) Bratland Pincus.

At the grand age of 94, our mother, sister, aunt, cousin, grandmother, great aunt, great-grandmother and amazing friend played many important parts in all our lives, and always did so with a special creative and unique flair, giving us many lasting and loving memories.

Inger was born in Bergen, Norway in 1928, daughter of the late Bernt Martin Bratland and Ingegerd Helly-Hansen. She, with her younger sister, Ragnhild (Rannie), grew up on both the west coast of Norway, in and around Bergen, and on the southeast coast, in and near Moss, Norway. From an early age, she was introduced to the theater, music and the arts, and always enjoyed outdoor activities, especially hiking, swimming, sailing, riding and skiing.

In April of 1940, when the Germans invaded and occupied Norway, Inger was 11 years old. She was not particularly talkative about her experiences during the war, but there were times, with prompting, that she would recount several stories—how her family would evacuate their city residence, to friends’ and families’ country homes or cottages, to escape Allied bombing of the German

Submarine base in Bergen, how she and friends would always be careful to avoid German soldiers, and how her father struggled to keep the family fish brokerage business operating despite severe restrictions, confiscations and demands imposed by German troops. Inger was 16 when Norway was finally liberated from German occupation in the spring of 1945.

After the war, as a young adult, Inger lived and studied in London, Copenhagen and Paris. In London, she attended the exclusive finishing school The Club of the Three Wise Monkeys. She later studied in Copenhagen, at the Kunsthaandvaerkerskolen, where she received a degree in Industrial Design.

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Chris Sisler, Vice President, Member of Ohef Sholom Temple, Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President, James E. Altmeyer, Sr., Owner

OBITUARIES

continued from page 37

It was while studying and working in clothing design in Paris in 1952 that she met and fell in love with Harry Pincus, Jr. of Norfolk, Va. It is of no surprise, and on good information, that evening strolls and romantic dinners along the Left Bank were common occurrences for the couple during their courtship in Paris. Accepting Harry’s proposal of marriage, Inger traveled to the U.S., accompanied by her mother, and the two were married in Virginia Beach in 1953.

As she started settling into married life in Norfolk, Inger had to adjust to many new social and cultural nuances of Post-War American life. At this time in Norfolk, there were very few other Norwegians, except for the Norwegian Consul, Anders Williams, and those few Norwegian military personnel, with their families, stationed with the fairly new NATO SACLANT Headquarters. She quickly made many good friends throughout Hampton Roads. To her credit and advantage, Inger was interested in, and quite adept at, learning other languages. In addition to Norwegian and English, she also spoke Danish, Swedish, Spanish and French fluently. She even studied Mandarin Chinese.

In 1954 it was Inger who first found a small quaint beach house to rent in Virginia Beach on 87th Street, that her mother-in-law, Esther Pincus, later purchased and that the family since then turned into the beloved “Pincus Cottage.” The wonderful friends and neighbors of 87th Street became extended family and always meant so much to Inger and Harry, as they enjoyed the beach and the community, while raising their family together over many years.

Between 1955 and 1965, Inger and Harry had five children, and with this

large family experienced many wonderful adventures.

Inger continued her study of, and work with, fine art. She began studying ceramics and sculpture at the former Norfolk Museum Art School and the Selden House Studios, and then furthered her studies at Old Dominion University, receiving her Masters of Fine Arts degree in 1983. Much of her artwork, be it painting, print making, ceramics, or sculpture, has been exhibited throughout Tidewater. Inger also worked as an assistant professor of sculpture art for both Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University during the 1980s and 1990s.

Almost every year, for 70 years, she would make trips home to Norway to visit family and friends, and to make certain her children knew their Norwegian family and heritage. In 1962 Inger became one of the founding charter members of the Sons of Norway Lodge 3-522, and she was present, with her family, at the unveiling of the Norwegian Lady Statue at 25th Street & Boardwalk of Virginia Beach, commemorating the historic 1891 Wreck and Rescue of the Norwegian Tallship “Diktator” from Moss, Norway. Late in life, Inger, reconnected and kindled a very special and loving relationship with an old friend and distant relative, Lauritz Devold, of Ã…lesund, Norway. The two enjoyed many happy years together traveling and relaxing both in Norway and in the U.S.

Inger is survived by her sister, Ragnhild Waagensen of Copenhagen, Denmark. Also, surviving Inger are her five children, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild: Paul Bratland Pincus and Kjersti Gjertsen of Tromsø, Norway, and their children, Hanna Gjertsen Pincus (Jérémie Geffard)

and their child Billie Geffard-Pincus, Sigrid Pincus Gjertsen, and Nora Pincus Gjertsen (Callum Thomson); Finn David Pincus (Debbie Jackson) of Salem, Va.; Alex Harry Pincus (Susan) of Norfolk, and their children, Erin E. Pincus (Joey Dotson), David A. Pincus (Jasmine Wood) and Anna-Britta Pincus; Ingeresa Pincus Friedman (Brian) of Norfolk, and their children Neal M. Friedman and Cole B. Friedman (Lauren Klevan); Kari Esther Pincus (Michael Boso) of Norfolk.

Inger maintained her active lifestyle well into her 80s, regular attending the symphony, opera, and theater, enjoying time with friends and family, and traveling around the country and overseas. Inger loved and cherished her family and friendships, and she was loved by all of us.

The family would like to express its most sincere and deep appreciation to the staff of Beth Sholom Village and Suncrest Hospice for the loving care they gave to Inger over this past year.

A Family and Friends Memorial Service will take place at a later date. Donations to the Old Dominion University Foundation, Chrysler Museum, or any local performing arts organization.

Online condolences may be offered to the family through www.hdoliver.com.

JO LISA ROSENBLUM

VIRGINIA BEACH —Jo Lisa Rosenblum, passed away on March 4, 2023 at the age of 74.

She was predeceased by her parents, Bernice and Teddy Rosenblum. Jo was a lovely person who gave generously to others. She had a special fondness for babies and couldn’t pass one by without addressing the parents.

Jo was a retiree of Old Dominion University and worked in several Rec

Centers in Virginia Beach. She also worked for the Department of Transportation for Norfolk Public Schools.

She will be remembered by her fiancé, Dr. Jesse Charles Zedd, and many friends, particularly her childhood friends Edie Schlain and Andrea Meltzer.

Jo Lisa was a life member of the auxiliary of Beth Sholom Village, Hadassah, a member of Temple Israel, and the Brith Sholom Center of Virginia.

A graveside service took place at Forest Lawn Cemetery with Rabbi Michael Panitz officiating.

DR. EMANUEL STEIN

NORFOLK—Dr. Emanuel Stein passed peacefully at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital on February 10, 2023.

He was known as “The Professor.” After a career in the Public Health Service, he joined EVMS and was widely regarded as a brilliant clinician, administrator, author, and teacher.

Having authored five books in the field of cardiology, he was pleased to see they are still used today to teach and he was still asked to autograph his books.

He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Shirley Segal; his children, Steven and Dr. Cynthia Stein and Laura Makela (Mike); his grandchildren, Brianna and Meghan Soblotne, Ava and Aliza Stein.

A service was held at Congregation Beth El in Norfolk. Interment followed at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Park Place School, 107 Seekel St, Norfolk, VA 23505, a school close to his and his wife’s heart.

Online condolences may be offered to the family at hdoliver.com

THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE WORLD

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Travel with Roie Galitz to his favorite edges of the planet as he captures photographs of endangered animals in their natural habitats, raising awareness of the threats they encounter today. Inspiring and practical for nature lovers, adventurers, and dreamers of all ages, don't miss this journey to the extreme four corners of the world.

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